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Undoing Whiteness: The Dao of Anti‐racist Diversity Practice
Author(s) -
Liu Helena
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
gender, work and organization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.159
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0432
pISSN - 0968-6673
DOI - 10.1111/gwao.12142
Subject(s) - undoing , praxis , mainstream , diversity (politics) , racism , sociology , gender studies , affirmative action , power (physics) , dominance (genetics) , cultural diversity , political science , law , anthropology , psychology , physics , quantum mechanics , psychotherapist , gene , biochemistry , chemistry
As Australia propels towards a so‐called ‘Asian Century', pro‐diversity discourses have begun to permeate organizations and society. Yet despite this outward commitment to ethno‐cultural diversity, mainstream diversity discourses and practices have been critiqued for subordinating social justice agendas and reinforcing the dominance of whiteness. This article analyses in‐depth interviews with 18 Chinese Australian managers and local councillors engaged in various forms of diversity advocacy and practice. By reading their voices via the Chinese philosophy of Daoism, I offer an anti‐racist praxis of diversity that bears the potential to disrupt white supremacy through the strength of softness and the power of non‐action.